Method of packaging



J. PETERSON. METHOD 0F PACKAGING. APPLICATIONI FILED 1m28. |921.

1. PETERSON.

METHOD QF PACKAGING. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 28I i921.

Patented May 2, 1922.

2 SHEETSTSI'IEEI' 2.

atroz nuja MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A

METHOD 0F PACKAGING.

and also to a method of packaging goods` comprising lling a carton or box body, and forwarding the filled body and applying a cover to it to complete the package.

The general object of the invention is to devise a method, suitable for packages of a certain class which may be rapidly and economically performed, either by hand or madise package.

chine operations or by a combination of such operations, resulting in a 'high out-put at moderate cost.

A. more particular object is to provide a method suitable for acertain class of cartons andvalso especially available for goods of a certain class, such as cigarette boxes or packages; although the invention is not limited to l the packaging of such articles.

ln a companion application Serial No. 440,587 filed January 28, 1921, l have shown andv described a container or carton having certain new and desirable characteristics and the present invention is particularly adapted to the handling bodies of the character described in that applicationand the covering or completion of such cartons vto form a Broadly described the method comprises the filling of a carton body, usually consisting of relatively thin and having foldable side and end marglns, suitably holdinoor supporting the filled body, applying adhesive to the body margins, associating a coverypiece and usually also a filler .piece with the body', and bringing the parts into suitable connection, usually by adhesively securing marginal por-tions'of the cover to the body margins and then turning down the combined cover and body margina portions and securing them to sides and end s of the body by means of the adhesive previousl applied to the body margins.

, in connection with lscription of the accompanymg drawlng T e characteristics and advantages of theA p invention are further sufficiently described the following detail de- Specication of Letters Patent.

of filled ycarton i complete merchanfleXible paper and `.panion application 1 the body paper CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

' Patented May 2,1922.

Application filed January 28, l1921. Serial No. 440,588.

which shows process steps which constitute one representative performance Vof the. method, representative mechanical devices being indicated for performing certain'of the operations. After considering this representative performance of the method, persons skilled in related arts will undervstand that the method steps may be varled greatly; also that certa1n of the individual steps and certain groups of roperations may be performed independently of other operan tions. While the operations are usually performed in the order hereafter described, certain of the operations may be performedatother points in the sequence of operations and, therefore, considerable variation is permitted as to the order in which certain of the operations are performed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation vof different associated devices, shown generally in a diagrammatic way, for one r formance of the method.

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same.

Fig; 3 is a perspective view of a carton body, especially available in connection with my method. y

Fig. 4 shows the body filled-with a suitable commodity, in the present instance'with cigarette packages inf orderly layer and row arrangement.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of a seriesy of filler .pieces associated with astrip of cover paper and also showing a severed assemblyv consisting of a cover blank anda` filler piece.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of two'adjacent lpackages with filler pieces and cover paper 1n lplace and connected bythe continuous strip of cover paper.

Fig. l is a lperspective view of a com-j pleted package. y

Boxor carton bodies B, Fig. 3 are provided, of the character describedin my comabove identified. These bodies usually consist of paper or cardboardl`v of relatively thin, or moderately thick ma.- terial. Usually for the sake of economyis quite thingso that it does notv have any considerable' amount of stiffness or rigidity, except when reinforced by the package'contents or when properly sup,-

orted by a suitable holding device durix'le;r thefilling and covering operations. This body comprises a bottom portio 1, side walls 2, end walls 3 and upstanding side epresentative per- A ginal portions being r'unconnected at the a suitable holder or carrier 10. These holders are usually arranged in a series, for instance by connecting them to links or blocks 'I .port for the lled cartons and for l15 would otherwise intersect.

of a chain 11, so that a succession of filled carton bodies may be advanced in a series. The -holders or carriers usually provide a certain amount of reinforcement arlid supt at pose they may be desirably formed of metal and desirably also they have side Walls 11, ends Walls 12 and bottom flanges 13 sur- .rounding an opening 14 for a purpose hereafter described. The upper surfaces 15 of the carrier side and end Walls are desirably flat and smooth and of substantial Width, this Width usually corresponding to the vertical width of the carton margins 4 and 5 andI these surfaces also lie in the same plane. The surfaces 15 may be cut away so that at the corners ofv the carrier depressions 16 are formed where the side and end surfaces In the present instance the holders 10 serve not only as carriers for the filled cartons, but as glue imprinting devices for applying adhesive to the outer faces of the carton margins 4 and 5. For this urpose glue is applied to the holder surflsices ,15 and most conveniently this application is made before thelled carton is inserted in the holder. The glue application is rovided for in the present instance by a g ueing device 20 of any suitable form, the actual device for applying glue to the surfaces 15 consisting in this instance of a glue roll 21 having its periphery arranged to contactwith the surfaces' 15 of the advancing holders. To this end the, conveyor chain or chains 11 maypass about a sprocket or sprockets 22 adjacent to the the point 25, Fig. 1 and they advance in series and the carton margins 4 and 5 are turned down and pressed upon the adhesively coated surfaces 15 ofthe holders sothat these carton margins are gummed by 1 holder surfaces. -60.V

1. Qtoy ythe holder offset from the holder surfaces. This glue receivingcontact of the carton margins may -be effected by hand or by suitable instrumentalities and a roller 26 is provided in rthe present instance for insuring proper u' .with the downturned lcarton margins and,

. --the1`fefore,

p there are no glued surfaces of .the` holder exposed to contact with th'e pressing roll v26.

4tons is connected during a l gluing device.. The filled cartons are then inserted at about It is now desired to complete the package by ap lying a cover sheet to .each of the carton' odies and conveniently the covers are applied in the present instance in the form of a continuous strip of paper so that the cover material for a success1on of carcertain part of their travel and at a suitable point the cover strip is severed by suitable means. It is also usually desired to insert a filler piece substantially co-e'xtensive with the open side of the carton body upon the carton con-- tents and under the cover piece. Desir# ably this is done in the present instance by feeding separate filler pieces under the cover strip so that a filler piece will come into position in the opening of each carton. These objects are desirably accomplished by adhesively coating the strip of cover material and brin ing its adhesive surface into contact with t e successive filler pieces in such a Way that 'the spacing of the filler s'oy pieces agrees With the spacing of the con tainer bodies. The cover paper may be originally gummed on one surface and may be moistened as it is fed toward the point of association With the filler pieces or of application to the lcarton bodies, or the cover material may be applied prior to its abovementioned points of association or application.

I will now describe further process steps conforming substantially to the more desirable or convenient conditie-n just above mentioned, but it is to be'understood that the next following steps are to a large extent independent of each other and are not to be considered interdependent in the broader aspect of the invention. That is to say,'the l main essentials of the next ensuing steps are merely the application of cover pieces to the successive cartons, with the incidental inser-y tionof filler pieces when it is desired, a1- though the combined operationsare very advantageous and desirable in one performance of the method.

A strip of cover paper C, substantially as Wide as the lateral dimension of the holders 10, is fed, conveniently from a roll 30, and at a convenient point in its advance it is treated to render one lof its surfaces adhesive. When the cover paper is originally glued on one side, that Side is moistened by any when the aper is unglued, the device 31 is any suitable gluing device for. applying glue to the to the carton bodies. A table or guide plate 35 is placed above the series of holders and at a suitable point filler pieces F are moved over this table and,'most vdesirably, are at the same time moved under the advancing strip of cover material. For this purpose the cover strip is guided by roll 36 under a presser carried by a stem 38 which may suitable moistening device 31 and,

surface which is to be presented A ,i

be moved in an suitable way at' suitable intervals with re ation t0 the progress of the holders. At the point where the cover paper passes Abeneath the presser it is elevated considerably above the table and at suitable intervals successive filler pieces F are brought between the cover strip and the table and under presser 37. For vthis purposea stackl of fillers `may be arranged in alvertical holder and they may be advanced individually at suitable intervals from the bottom of the stack by a pusher 41. At about the time each filler piece F come's in position the presser 37 is moved down and presses the adhesively coated cover strip upon the filler piece and the cover strip then` passes on and another filler piece is secured to it, suitabl spaced away from the first, and so on, lie spacing of the filler pieces corresponding to the spacing of the cartons in the successive holders. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of a continuous strip of cover paper C, with fillers F secured to it at proper intervals. At a suitable point beyond the table or plate 35 the cover strip is pressed into adhesive engagement with the outwardly turned margins 4 and 5 -of the carton bodies, for instance by a roller 40', and at the same time a filler piece is placed in position over the )contents of each carton and under the cover strip. The carton is ythen advanced, connected to others adjacent by the continuous cover strip, as shown in lfm'. 6.

he cover material 1s now severed along the line (Fig. 6) midway between two adjacent cartons and this severing may be accomplished in any desirable way, but is conveniently performed by a hot wire l arranged transversely and moved linto contact with the cover strip at suitable interivoted' on a shaft 52 being shown for moving the severing wire. Most conveniently the Wire is heated by electric current and conductors 53 are indicated in 2 for supplying heating current lto the wire.

The folded and covered cartons are now desirablyremoved from the holders whereupon the under surfaces of the body margins 4 and 5 will be available, adhesively coated in the earlier stages of the process by contact with holder surfaces 15, and-the pack age is completed by folding down the conbined marginal portions of the cover and body and pressing the adhesive surfaces just mentioned' against the sides and `ends `of the body. ln this operation also the corners 60 of the cover which are adhesively coated but,

unconnected with any portions o f the body material are folded in any suitable way either under or over themarginal portions of the body material.

The glue or other adhesive is of such composition and consistency', and the speed of operations is such that the adhesive remains sufficienti soft or moist at-the time of removing t e body-margins from holder surfaces 15, to permit such removal to be performed easily, and to present the glued surfaces of these margins in proper condition for adhering to sides of the body, in the following operations.

The removal and completion of the packages may be accomplished in any desirable way, but in the present instance these ations are provided for as follows: At. a suitable point beyond the lsevering point a vertical passageway or channel is arranged to receive the successive packages, the side and end walls of this passageway being dimensioned to fit the sides and ends of the packages quite closely, or yieldable pressing and holding devices may be provided when necessary or desirable. Below the suc/cession of holders 10 is arranged an ejector consisting in this instance of a plunger which of the holders. The plunger may be' moved by a cylinder 76 to which air under pressure is supplied at pipe 77, and exhausted again to retract the plunger. At each stroke the upper end of the plunger engages the bottom of one of opermay be moved up at suitable intervals through openings 14 in the bottoms' proper intervals, through a the cartons and moves it up into the channel 70 and as it does so the under surfaces of body margins 4 and 5 are 'stripped away from the adhesively coated surfaces of the holders. The top of the covered carton then vpasses into the lower end of the channel,

this entrance being facilitated by beveled inner surfaces 71 ofthe channel side and end walls. ln'entering the vertical channel the projecting flanges composed of margins of the cover and body are smoothed down against the sides and ends of the body material and pressedr in position. After the channel 7 0 is filled each stroke of the plunger 75 ejects a completed package from the top of the channel and these packages may be disposed of 'in any convenient manner. Fig. 7 shows a completed package produced by the described method.

Sincethe carton comprising only the parts above described forms a complete package closure without the necessity for any outer wrapping, as more fully explained in my companion application 'reviously identified, and since it is often esirable to save the added expense of any additional covering or label, it is desirable in some cases to provide for imprinting upon some part of the carton proper suitable indicia, such as the manufacturers name, trade-mark or any other desired subject matter. ln one performance of the method it is perfectly practicable to make the cover pieces C originally separate or at any lrate to cut them apart before` application to the carton bodies, and

in such a case it is, of course, easy to imprint the desired subject matter upon the outer surfaces of the cover pieces. But in va desirable performance of the method as dicia upon this cover strip before application to the `individual carton bodies. For this purpose in the present embodiment'of the invention a suitable printing device 80 is provided between the point where the cover strip leaves roll 30 and the point where it is adhesively 81 indicates any suitable printing .'roller and 82 is an abutment roller. Any suitable printing mechanism may be employed. A suitable interconnection may be provided between the carton holder advancing mechanism and the printing mechanism to insure yapplication of the printed subject matter to thel cover strip at such intervals that such subject matter will appear in properly registered position on each of the packages. Such mechanism is not shown in the present application. Otherwise, the printed matter maybe of such a nature and repeated in such a way that registry mechanism may be omitted. Fig. 7 shows a printed legend 90 representative of an imprint that may be made by the printing mechanism 80.

Evidently any or all of the described operations may be performed-by hand or by the toA use of implements of elementary simplicity; also, evidently the order of steps is 'in many instances immaterial; and, therefore, in certain claims Where the method is said to comprise certain operations, the order of operations is generally not material unless so described, or unless a stated operation can only be performed after the performance of another one. f

I, therefore, do'not confine myself to details, except as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A method of packaging comprising applying adhesive to marginal portions of a' container body, applying a cover piece to the open side ofthe body and securing the cover piece adhesively to said body margins, and turning down the combined cover and body marginal portions and securing the adhesively coatedy faces of the b ody margins to adjacent sides and ends of the body.l

2. A method of packagin comprising adhesively coating outersur aces of mar- 'ginal portions of a carton body surroundingl the open side of the body and turning sald marglnal portions outwardly, placing a filler piece in the open side of the body, applyingl a cover piece overlying the filler piece and the body margins and adhesively securing marginal portions of the cover tosaidbody margins, and turning down the combined coated or moistened.'

intact curing the adhesive surfaces of the body margins to side and end surfaces 4of the body.

, 3. A method. of packaging comprising advancing a filled carton body having upstanding margins about its open side, turning said margins outward and imprinting adhesive upon their under face/s, applying a cover piece to the open side of the body and securing margins of the cover piece to upper faces of said body margins, and turning down the combined cover and body m'argins and securing the adhesive under faces of the body margins to sides and ends of the body. y

4. A method of packaging comprising advancing a filled carton body having upstanding margins about its open side, lturnends of the body.

. 5. A method of packaging comprising applying adhesive to marginal surfaces of a carton holder, insert-inga carton body in the holder, bringing marginal portions of side and end Walls of the carton body into contact with the adhesive surfaces of the 'surfaces of the bdy margins tov sides and holder. applying a cover piece to the open side of the body and securing the margins of the cover piece adhesively to the body margins, removing the carton from the holder and turning down the margins adhesively coated by the holder surfaces and securing them against side and end walls of the carton body. 5 Y

6. Amethod of packaging comprising applying adhesive to marginal surfaces of a carton holder, inserting a filled carton body in the holder, bringing marginal portions of side and end Walls of the carton body into contact with the adhesive surfaces of the holder, inserting a filler piece upon the carton contents Within the limits of the body Walls, applying a cover piece over the filler pieceand adhesively securing marginal portions ofthe cover piece to the body margins, removing the carton from the holder and turning down the marginal portions and pressing the surfaces adhesively coated by contact with holder surfaces against sides and ends of the carton body.

7 A method of packaging comprising advancing a series of carton bodies having outwardly disposed marginal portions' about their open sides, applying a continuous cover strip to successive cartons .and securing the ist . their open sides, app

v open sides,

y the body margins,

hesive surface Ystrip to the Carton bodies 4with its mieres adhesivelv to said carton margins and severing the cover strip between adjacent cartons.

.8. A method of packaging comprising advancing a series of carton bodies having outwardly disposed marginal portions about their open sides, placing a filler piece in the open side of each carton body, applying a continuous cover strip over the filler pieces and adhesively securing *the cover strip to said body margins and severing the cover strip between adjacent cartons.

9. A method of packaging comprising advancing a series of carton bodies having foldable marginal portions about their open sides, applying adhesive to outer surfaces of applying a continuous cover strip to successive cartons and securing the cover strip adhesively lto said carton margins, and turning' down the combined cover and body margins and securing them cover strip -against sides and ends of 'the body.

A method of packaging comprising of carton bodies having marginal portions about lying adhesive to under surfaces of the body margins, placing a {iller piece in the open side of each carton body, applying a continuous cover strip over the liller pieces and adhesively securing the coverv strip to said body margins and severing the cover strip between adjacent cartons, and turning down the combined cover and body margins and securing them against sides and ends of tle body.

11. A method of packaging comprising advancing a series of carton bodies having outwardly projecting margins about their feeding an adhesively coated cover Strip in proximity to the bodies, placing filler pieces adjacent to the cover strip at intervals corresponding to the body intervals and securing the filler pieces to the adhesive surface of the strip, strip to the carton bodies with its adhesive 10. advancing a series outwardly disposed 'surface in contact with the body margins located inthe open and with a filler piece j severing the side of each carton body, and

' ycover strip between two adjacent carton .50

bodies.

12. A advancing a series 'of outwardly projecting open sides, feeding method of packaging comprising carton bodies having an adhesively coated cover strip in proximity tol the bodies, placing filler ieees adjacent to' the'covervstrip at interval; corresponding to the body intervals and securing the filler pieces to the vad- 'of the strip, applying the adhesive surface incontact with the body margins and witha filler piece .located in the openv side of each lcarton body, severing` the cover strip between two adjacent carton bodies, and adhesively securing the combined cover and applying the margins about their.

4intervals and securing these the body margins and' severing the cover strip between adjacent carton bodies;

, A method of pa'ckagin comprisingapplying adhesive to circu 14. A method of packaging comprisingjs applying adhesive to circumferential surfaces of alseries of holders, placing fi carton bodies in successive holders, the

bodies having upstanding side andend mar' gins, turning down the body margins and. engaging faces, feeding an adhesively coated cover` strip in proximity to the succession of holders, supplying filler pieces adjacentto the cover strip at intervals corresponding to the holder intervals and securing' these filler pieces to the adhesive surface of the strip,

them with the adhesive holdersurapplying the cover strip to the carton bodies l with its adhesive surface engaging the body margins and with a filler piece inserted in each body opening, and severing the cover strip between adjacent carton bodies.

15.'v A method of packagin comprising applying; adhesive to circui'n erential surof holders, placing. lled carton bodies in successive holders, the bodies having upstanding side and end niargins, turning down the body margins and engagfaces of av series ing them with the adhesive holder surfaces,

feeding an adhesi'vely coated cover strip in proximityto the succession of holders` ap" plying it to the upper surfaces ofthe body margins, severing the'cover strip between adjacent carton bodies, removing the 'carton from the holder and folding, down the combined cover andbody iro j margins and securing the body marginal lsurfaces .coated by con tact with the holder .surfaces against surfaces of the body. j f

16. A method of packaging comprising applyin faces o .a series of holders,`placing filled carton bodies in successive holders. the bodies.

having upsta ding side and-endlmargins, turning down the body margins and engaging them with'the adhesive holder'surfaceg,;

,D adhesive to circumferential sur- 4 feedingan adhesively coated cover strip proximity to plying strip at intervals correspondin to theholder the adhesive surface ofthe skim-applying the cover strip to the carton bodieswith its adhesive' surface engaging `the body, margins- `and with a filler piece inserted in :each: body lthe succession of holders, sup: filler pieces` adjacent to the-cover ler ;pieces to opening, severing the cover strip between adjacent carton bodies, removing the carton from thev holder and folding down the coinbined cover and body margins and securing the body marginal surfaces coated by contact with the holder siirfaces'againsty surfaces of the body.

17. A method of packaging comprising filling a relatively'thin and flexible carton body having projecting margins at its open side, placin the filled body in a reinforcing fholder, app ying adhesive toouter surfaces ofthe body margins, inserting a filler piece and applying a cover piece adhesively to the ller piece and inner surfaces of the body margins, removing the package from the vside -of each bo y, applyingacontinuous adhesively coated cover strip to the successive bodies with its adhesive surface in engagement with -the llery pieces and with inner surfaces of the body margins, and

severing 4the cover'strip. between adjacent bodies. Y

19. A method of packaging comprising filling a series .of relatively thin and Hexible carton bodies having upstanding. margins -about their open sides, .placing the filled wardly extending mar i'ng the cartons from the successive bodies in a series of reinforcing holders, applying adhesive to outer surfacesof the body margins, inserting a filler piece in the open side of each body, applying a continuous vadhesively coated ycover strip -to the successive bodies with its adhesive .surface vin en age-= ment with the filler pieces and -With inner surfaces of the body margins, -severing the cover'strip between adjacent bodies, removholder, and turning down and securing the outer adhesive surfaces of the -body margins against side surfaces of thebodies. 20. A method of packaging comprising advancing a series of carton bodies havingoutgins' about theiro'pen sides, applying a continuous cover strip in adhesive engagement with-upper surfaces of the body margins 'and applying a heated element tol sever thefcover strip between ad-4 jacent bdies.

21. A method of packaging com rising advancing a series of carton bodies aving -outwardly extending margins about their open sides, applying a continuous adhesive cover strip inengagement-With upper sur-l faces of the body margins and applying a.

'bodies in the holders ythe combined cover and relevos 'hot wire to sever the cover strip between adjacent bodies.

22. A method of packaging comprisingadvancing a series of carton bodies having outwardly extending Nmargins about their open sides, applying a continuous adhesive cover strip in engagement with upper sur faces of the body margins and applying an electrically heated element to sever the cover strip between adjacent bodies.

23. A method of packagin comprising applying adhesive to circum erential surfaces of a series of holders, placing cartonV and bringing portions of the carton bodies into contact with the adhesive holder surfaces for subsequent package forming operations.

24. A method of packaging comprising advancing a series of filled cartons having outwardly extending margins about their open sides, feeding a continuous cover strip adjacent to the advancing cartons, the strip having an adhesive surface, feeding4 filler pieces successively under the adhesive surface o-f the strip and pressin filler p-ieces together, and app ying the'cover strip to the `margins of successive cartons with a liller piece located in the open side of each carton under the cover strip.

25. A method of packaging comprising 9'5 advancing a series of'lled cartons` havingoutwardly extending margins about their open sides, feeding a continuous cover strip adjacent to the advancing cartons, the strip having 'an adhesive surface, feeding 'filler 100 pieces successively .under the adhesive surizze [of the strip and pressing the strip and strip to the margins of `successive cartons with 'a liller piece located in the open side-1i05 of each" carton under the-'cover strip, and

applying a heated element to sever the cover l strip between adjacent-cartons.

26. A method of .packaging comprising advancing a series of lfilled carton bodies, I

feeding a continuous coverstrip adjacent toy the body series, applying and' securing the l.

cover strip to successive carton bodies, and l having outwardly extending mar 'ns about their 'open sides, applying adheswe m the 1- under surfaces. of the margins, applying a`fi2o' cover piece to the open side of each bod with its margins adhesively connectedl to the ""5 Aupper surfaces of the body margins,

moving the covered bodies successively with the covers in advance and ody .margins against sides of the bodies. f y "28. In a method of formingcontainersof relatively' `thin andl Hexible material, in which a cover is applied to the open side of 130 the strip and 90 i pieces together, applying the cover pressing down f l a carton body lhaving projecting margins, the steps consisting in vvadhesively'coating the outward surfaces, of the body margins, applying the covers adhesively to the body margins, and turning down the combined cover and body margins and securing them against the sides of the body.

29. In a method of forming containers of relatively thin' landl flexible material, in which a coveris applied to the open side of a carton body having projecting margins, the steps consistingin applying adhesive to the outward surfaces of the body margins, applying a continuous cover strip adhesively to the margins of a series of bodies, severing the cover st-rip between adjacent bodies and turning down the comb-ined cover and body margins and securing them against sides of the bodies. j

30. In a method of forming containers of relatively thin and flexible material, in which a-cover is applied to the open side of a carton body having outwardly project-ing margins, the steps consist-ing in applying adhesive to the under surfaces of the body `margins and securing them against si margins by contact with adhesively coated surfaces of adhesive applying devices, applyinga continuous cover stripadhesively to the margins of a series of bodies, severing the cover strip between adjacent bodies' and turning down the combined cover and body des of the bodies. j

31. Ina method of forming containers of relatively thin and flexible material, in which a. cover is applied to the open side of a carton body having outwardly projecting margins, the steps consisting in applying adhesive to the under surfaces of the margins by contact with adhesively coatedl surfaces of holding devices, applying a continuous cover strip adhesively to the margins of a series of bodies, severing the cover strip between adjacent bodies and turning down the comb-ined cover and body margins and 1i,

body f securing them against sides of the bodiese l Signed at New `York city, in the Neva'wYorlr and State of New York, this si D. l

day oi January, i

921. JONATHAN PETEBSN,

county of 25th v 

